Radiology Research

This study is exploring a treatment, intravascular lithotripsy (IVL), which uses gentle shockwaves to break up hardened calcium in leg arteries and improve blood flow in people with severe peripheral artery disease (PAD). Over two years, researchers will follow 400 patients with the most serious form of PAD—chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI)—to see how well IVL works in the long term, especially in healing wounds, preventing amputations, and improving quality of life.

This study is testing a new procedure to help people with knee osteoarthritis who still have pain after trying other treatments. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either the new treatment or a placebo, and neither they nor the doctors will know which one they get.

The PAVE2 study is investigating better ways to keep the blood vessel used for dialysis open and working well. These vessels often become narrow, and although a standard balloon can widen them, the narrowing frequently returns.

Drug‑coated balloons containing paclitaxel or sirolimus may help prevent this. The study is designed to find out whether these drug‑coated balloons are more effective than a standard uncoated balloon.

Participants first receive the usual balloon treatment. After this, the clinical team checks whether the blood vessel meets the study’s technical requirements. If it does, the participant receives a second balloon treatment straight away, using either a paclitaxel‑coated balloon, a sirolimus‑coated balloon, or a standard balloon. Allocation is random, and participants are not told which balloon is used.

Participants are followed for one year to monitor how well the vessel stays open. With permission, the study team will also collect information from medical records for an additional two years to assess longer‑term outcomes.